Unions support Communities Across New York through Empire State University

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — JUNE 11, 2024) The United University Professions (UUP) Empire State Chapter worked with two locals of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) as well as the NYSUT’s Social Justice department to participate in Empire State University’s book drive as part of the statewide initiative.

“This was the perfect opportunity for UUP to utilize the AFT [American Federation of Teachers] First Book Program,” UUP Empire State Chapter President Pamela Malone said. “We worked with Director of Community Events Timothy Cosgriff, who was coordinating the University’s participation in the statewide book drive. It was a great example of collaboration between UUP, NYSUT, AFT and Empire State University to donate dozens of boxes of books to school districts in two communities—Saratoga Springs and Brighton—to which the university belongs.”

Cosgriff brought the statewide book drive to UUP’s attention after working with NYS General Services to promote the state’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Statewide Children’s Book Drive at the University. Samantha Rini, LMSW, a Social Justice Specialist in NYSUT’s Social Justice Department then ordered the books for the Chapter and NYSUT locals.

Empire University’s Anjeanette Emeka, Interim Director of Academic Review and Project Leader for the School of Human Services coordinated the book drop at the Saratoga Springs Central School District Middle School. 

“It was a thrill as a UUP member to collaborate with another union in my community, Saratoga Springs Teachers Association, on a book drive that resulted in a huge delivery of books to our local middle school,” Emeka said. “I am so grateful to be part of the SUNY Empire family that values lifting up every person in our communities, sometimes one book at a time!”

Tim McGuiggan, President of the Saratoga Springs Teachers Association, worked with his fellow local NYSUT members to receive the books.

In Rochester, Cosgriff and Malone met Brighton Teachers Association (BTA) President and 2016 Empire State Excellence in Teaching award recipient Jamie Porta to deliver the books to the library. Katie Lambert, Library Media Specialist and BTA representative, and her Library Club students helped bring the boxes into the library. 

“My students enthusiastically embraced their roles as ‘book transporters’ and the BTA is grateful for the opportunity to partner with UUP and bring books to young students,” Lambert said. “The books provided will be distributed to our students and community members in June, providing students with reading material for the summer months. Many thanks for helping us expand young minds!”

This is the second successful partnership between UUP and the University. Several boxes of personal item donations were collected at the UUP Hospitality Suite at the Annual Conference and delivered to an organization helping Saratoga area women in need. This event was part of the University’s International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month celebrations. The UUP Empire Chapter plans to continue working with the University to participate for future community events, and plans are already in the works for 2025. 

For more information on the NYS MLK Jr. Book Drive, please contact Timothy at timothy.cosgriff@sunyempire.edu or visit https://empirestateplaza.ny.gov/dr-king-statewide-book-drive. Visit https://firstbook.org/ for information on AFT’s First Book program and https://www.nysut.org/resources/special-resources-sites/social-justice/about-nysut-social-justice for information on NYSUT Social Justice. UUP’s website is www.uupinfo.org.